■SQUASH
Gaultier wins at World Open
World No. 1 Gregory Gaultier’s started his bid to become World Open champion with an 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 win against Alan Clyne, a qualifier from Scotland. Meanwhile, Karim Darwish, the Egyptian who Gaultier has just dislodged at the top the rankings, started with a win over Mansoor Zaman, the Pakistani who is son of the former world No. 1 Qamar Zaman. The Egyptian won 17-15, 11-4, 11-7. Amr Shabana, the three times former World Open champion from Egypt overcame Shaun le Roux of England 11-6, 11-5, 11-5.
■TENNIS
Ljubicic ends title drought
Croatian Ivan Ljubicic ended a title drought stretching back over two years on Sunday as he claimed the Lyon ATP trophy, beating Frenchman Mickael Llodra 7-6, 6-3. The third-seeded Ljubicic required one break of serve in the first set in the 12th game to edge into the lead, having wasted two break points in the sixth game. Llodra, ranked 107th in the world, fought back to break Ljubicic in the first game of the second set and then took a 2-0 lead. However, that was the high point of his match as Ljubicic, ranked 29 in the world, stormed back to take the next five games and ultimately the match to claim his first title since winning at s’Hertogenbosch in the summer of 2007.
■TENNIS
Melzer wins home tourney
Jurgen Melzer defeated top-seeded Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3 to win the Bank Austria Tennis Trophy on Sunday. The 35th-ranked Melzer, seeded seventh, saved five break points to hold serve throughout and broke Cilic three times. “I can’t find the right words to describe my emotions,” Melzer said, who is only the second Austrian winner in the 35-year history of the event after Horst Skoff in 1988. “I am over the moon. I am very proud to win here,” said the 28-year-old. Cilic entered the tournament on a wild card after US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro withdrew with a wrist injury. “I’ve been pleased with my game all week,” Cilic said. “Jurgen started to play very well after the first couple of games so obviously he deserved to win.” Cilic looked in control early on. He won seven straight points from the start of the match, but missed three break chances in the second game. Melzer did not score a point in the Croat’s first three service games but broke him at 3-3. The Austrian saved two break points while serving for the set at 5-4 before Cilic netted a forehand return on set point. Melzer served flawlessly in the second set, while Cilic missed more forehands from the baseline. He saved two match points before hitting a backhand wide to end the contest.
■TENNIS
Stakhovsky sees off Zeballos
Qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky recovered from a slow start to beat eighth-seed Horacio Zeballos 2-6, 7-6, 7-6 in the St Petersburg Open final on Sunday. Zeballos, playing in his first ATP final, led 3-0 in the second-set tiebreaker but allowed Stakhovsky to reel off six straight points, winning it 10-8 to level the match. Stakhovsky broke for a 4-3 lead in the third set and had a match point in the ninth game but the Argentine held before breaking back. In the deciding tiebreak, both players held match points before the 23-year-old from Kiev finally sealed the win 9-7. “I was a bit lucky today because my opponent played better than me,” Stakhovsky told a news conference. “I was also getting tired in the second set as I had to play eight matches, including three qualifiers, here,” added the world No. 93, who beat former world No. 1 Marat Safin in the semis on Saturday.
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